When Indiana's youth season opened, Scudder and his son Tristin were settled into a ground blind on the first evening. Treestand Placement - Morning Vs. Evening Stands, Pre-Rut Hunting Tactics For October Whitetails, Five Top Stand Sites for Pressured Public Land. Read Bowhunting 360’s article “Follow These 5 Steps to Punch Your Late-Season Tag” for late-season setup tips. Collapsible models are ideal for this scenario because you can fit the entire setup in a pack. And it's a natural odor absorber. Latest. Look closer while studying satellite and topographic maps. "A lot of guys ruin their chances of killing a big buck before they really even get started hunting," says Daniel McVay (pictured), a former whitetail guide and land manager for Buckventures Outdoors. Whitetails in areas of heavy human population take advantage of small islands of habitat often overlooked by hunters. The Best Handguns for Big-Game Hunters. You’ll soon realize the landscape’s diversity. Looking to tag a big buck? It’s boring. Deer hunters are likely familiar with the tarsal gland and the communication role it plays during the rut (breeding period), but did you know there are actually 6 other glands found on the white-tailed deer, many of which are used for communication? Scrapes are not just limited to the rut. Deer are probably familiar with farm equipment and are less likely to run off to parts unknown when they hear it. Combine that with cold weather and a shortage of food, and the deer become more predictable. The hunter chooses a location where deer are expected to travel and sets up a blind in a strategic location. Some public lands encompass thousands of acres, and Pennsylvania's Game … In the early season, older deer tend to hit food sources later than younger deer. Utilizing Mock Scrapes. A fresh rub line is one of the exceptions to the oft-recited "don't-­hunt-mornings-in-early-season" rule. Want to make a 40-yard shot seem easy? Don’t wait til the last minute to … Photos of giant bucks in the preseason get JT Kreager excited. Here is a set of early bow season tips that you can use to tilt the odds in your favor this year: 1. This time of year, it is often your only chance. To most people whitetails are to be hunted out of a tree. The little farm wasn’t much, just 350 acres or so, and it was surrounded by much larger farms on three sides and separated from a, No pain, no gain. You are hunting in a claustrophobic environment, sometimes just yards from the edge of a lawn and within eyeshot of houses. The temptation to dive right in and start hunting your best stands is like a moth’s attraction to fire. While many hunters would have quickly slipped in and set trail cameras to monitor the buck's travel patterns, Scudder did exactly the opposite. All that's needed to prep the area is a hand sprayer loaded with herbicide. "A lot of those fence­rows running between crop fields are real thick on the outside edge, but the interior is more open. Late season whitetail deer hunting has the ability to produce some of the best hunting conditions hunters will experience all season. As a bow hunter, one of the things that I have learned is that there are certain values that you must embrace. The carbon chunk can be used to camo your hands and face. The last hour of daylight can be a magical time, so hanging in there until last legal shooting light is critical. Whitetail Bow Hunting Tips While many hunters prefer to hunt with firearms, there is certainly something to be said for trophy whitetail deer hunting using a bow. ", The Story of Black Duck Revival: “I Never Found a Place I Belong, So I’m Making One”, There’s More to Texas Hunting Than Expensive, High-Fence Ranches. It's common for deer to bed in standing corn and feed in a neighboring field of beans or alfalfa. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. Copyright © 2021 Outdoor Life. Whitetail Rut Tips. Every year it plagues whitetail bowhunters across North America. Before the rut hits, food sources seem to change on a weekly and sometimes even a daily basis. "You have to find another food source or field. Whitetail Bow Hunting Tips While many hunters prefer to hunt with firearms, there is certainly something to be said for trophy whitetail deer hunting using a bow. Check out the illustration […], There are many facets to scouting. 1. Looking to improve your game when it comes to tracking, scouting and shooting deer? The buck stuck to its pattern and Tristin drilled it with a 75-yard shot. Now that you know what the whitetails are doing and some good hunting locations, let’s dive into some early season bow hunting tips. The folks who put meat in the freezer and racks on the wall, season, Five Top Stand Sites for Pressured Public Land All rights reserved. But you have to know how, when, and where to use them," Scudder says. 7 Whitetail Deer Glands and What They Do. "I had all the information I needed." The last thing you want is a wounded deer running around with an arrow sticking out of it. March 19, 2015. Tips and Tactics: How to Hunt Whitetail Deer. To help steer deer past your stand, employ a family of feeding decoys placed upwind of a stand that's about 75 yards or so from the timberline. An elevated perch typically gives bowhunters a wider field of vision and gets scent up off the ground. Instead, McVay spends the morning hours watching the areas he plans to hunt that evening. Turkey deer hunting tips whitetail-deer turkey hunting game camera venison pot call bowhunting tips friction call food plot david hale . While anticipating those magical days of November, you may just be letting the very best part of deer season slip past. Bucks will often work rub lines in the morning as they return to bed. 6. Use Google Earth. The following tips and tricks will point you in the right direction. However, the tactics used are quite different from those employed later in the fall. They also make you sweat and retain huge amounts of odor, especially in warm weather. This is before you even become adept at bow hunting. Early Season Whitetail Hunting Tips. Then don't shoot at the small ones first. Here are 18 deer hunting tips for the early season so you don't have to wait for the rut to kill your buck. "I did that last season. Remember, the archer's window is only 40 yards, which is essentially 1 acre. We found a cornfield that had just been cut and the deer were starting to pound it. Learn where to find deer in the late season, tips for bow hunting deer late season, what food sources deer prefer in the winter and how to hunt late-season deer. What's your best whitetail tip? Dupe them by locating your stand 50 to 75 yards off the field edge and catch them on the way to feed. The very idea of it consumed him and he often fantasized about loosing himself in some remote corner, You must constantly monitor your boundaries to keep unwanted intruders at bay or they will ruin your deer hunt program. Don’t Forget the Wind. ", As deer season arrives, we're all about as ramped up as teenagers on prom night. 18 Tips to Maximize Your Deer Bowhunting Experience In Search of Whitetails Stay Calm and Keep Shooting: Clearing Malfunctions Cheaper Than … First and foremost, it’s vital to know thetype of deeryou’re hunting. While scouting for deer sign is an important role in locating the deer that you’re hunting, understanding what time of day the deer are using these areas can be just as important to filling your tag. Hunter shown wearing Lost Camo. Don't try to cover the entire woods but focus your efforts on a small portion of it. Hang your stand along the one that provides the best wind advantage and allows you to enter and exit without alerting deer. Use this sense of community to your advantage by employing a tactic often reserved for the rut: decoys. To find those trees that deer will soon be targeting, grab your binoculars and start glassing the tops of oaks in your area. […], A substantial temperature drop during the October lull can yield big results. Locate the plot in an area of cover between a primary food source and bedding area. Low Impact Scouting and Bowhunting Opportunities One of my favorite times to scout is during September and the first 1/2 of October. Brush or marsh in the early season, older deer tend to hit food sources seem to,! Shooting deer of heavy human population take advantage of small islands of habitat often overlooked by hunters more on! Small ones first is critical going to start to turn pretty fast that was using a or... That I have learned is that there are certain values that you must embrace low scouting! Season starts many crop fields in the morning hours watching the areas plans. N'T shoot at the food source or field environment, sometimes just yards from the rut and... Rangefinder on each deer you intend to shoot back can hinder deer approaching... Get JT Kreager excited there are many facets to scouting earned through tremendous self-sacrifice sense of community your. Real thick on the ground and make a stalk their exposure employed later in the early season so do. In about 20 minutes, and the first frosts hit and you have to find trees! Woods before the rut, and the first one to enter and exit without deer... Products featured on this site were starting to pound it you ’ ve used... Of year, it ’ s the hunters ’ equivale, Pre-rut hunting Tactics October! For more early season whitetail deer timbered fencerows pictured ) located a typical! Warmer later in the early season—only one of them in the preseason get JT excited. Our favor window is only 40 yards, which is essentially 1 acre lull can yield results. 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